Scaling Leadership for a 250-Man Regiment

For On Our Own Soil, with a goal of 250 participants per side, maintaining a historically accurate command structure is essential for unit cohesion, organization, and authenticity. Using the 50-man company model, we can scale up leadership needs accordingly.

 

🔹 The Structure of a 250-Man Force (Per Side)

In a reenactment scenario with 250 men per side, the force would be divided into five 50-man companies, led as follows:

Company-Level Breakdown (Per 50 Men)

📌 6-8 Corporals per Company
📌 4 Sergeants per Company + 1st Sergeant
📌 2 Lieutenants per Company
📌 1 Captain per Company

With 5 companies per side, this equates to:

  • 5 Captains
  • 10-12 Lieutenants
  • 20 Sergeants
  • 30-40 Corporals
  • 180+ Privates

This structure ensures that each private has leadership support at the squad level, and that preparation prior to the event is easily managed and event information can be efficiently communicated.

🔹 The Role of Corporals in Recruiting 250 Participants

To achieve the 250-man recruitment goal per side, we must empower corporals to take an active role in recruiting and organizing participants.

📖 Why Corporals Matter in Recruitment:
✅ Squad Leaders Are the First Point of Contact – Privates are more likely to join and stay engaged if they feel part of a smaller, well-led team.
✅ Each Corporal is Responsible for 5-7 Men – If we recruit 40 corporals per side, each leading 5-7 men, they collectively recruit, train, and retain over 200 privates per side.
✅ Distributed Recruiting Load – Instead of relying on a few officers to recruit 250 participants, we decentralize the process by having each corporal recruit and lead a squad.
✅ Retention Through Strong Leadership – Good corporals ensure privates feel engaged, well-trained, and valued, reducing attrition before the event.

🔹 Recruiting Breakdown for a 250-Man Force Per Side

  1. Recruit and Train 40 Corporals – Through the Empower the Corporal program, corporals must be equipped with leadership, drill, and recruiting skills.
  2. Each Corporal Recruits are in charge of 5-7 Privates at the event – If each corporal secures at least 6 men, they will collectively bring in 240 rank-and-file soldiers.
  3. Sergeants Oversee the Corporals – 20 sergeants (4 per company) ensure corporals are supported and effective in their leadership.
  4. Officers Manage the Companies – Lieutenants and captains handle company-wide operations, paperwork, and battlefield tactics.

🔹 Bottom Line: By empowering 40 corporals per side to recruit, train, and lead squads, we organically build a 250-man force per army, ensuring readiness, organization, and historical accuracy.